Pau deserved to be benched. It's really simple: Under Bernie, we played with no pressure. Under D'Antoni, we are playing under pressure and trying to figure out his system. I'm not saying I'd rather have D'Antoni than Phil, but Phil would have benched Pau as well. Dude is playing the worst basketball of his career. Period.

Edited by LakersChamps243, November 23, 2012 - 11:02 PM.

"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there" - John Wooden

One time Stan van gundy called dwight out when he was younger about his lack of effort. The next game he put up 20 pts and 20 rbs. Calling players out works if you actually care about being good. If pau doesnt respond he obviously is just here for the paycheck and is coasting. He's acting like bynum just a lot more subtle.

It is not DAntonis fault..he cant stand up much right now and move because of his leg but I know he adresses the team in the timeouts and during halftime and on the plane

so just keep calm with the coach

The bigger issue is PAU GASOL!

Germanys Craziest & Finest LA Lakers Fan#Manaro90

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."

Did you even watch the game? Pau Gasol played like a D-Leaguer tonight. I'm glad D'Antoni benched his ass. We can't have guys floating out on the floor refusing to rotate defensively and giving us nothing on the offensive end. He was completely useless. We played MUCH better on both ends of the floor once Pau was left sitting on the bench.

It's good that he insulted him, maybe he'll wake up and start playing with some effort. For a guy who's been traded and is perpetually on the trade block, he's really not playing like someone that wants to stay here in LA.

yes and this is kind of sad...mettta stepped up his game in summer and got in shape after he knew that he struggeld last year and pau struggeld too and he did NOTHING pffff

Germanys Craziest & Finest LA Lakers Fan#Manaro90

"Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death. I shall take no wife, hold no lands, father no children. I shall wear no crowns and win no glory. I shall live and die at my post. I am the sword in the darkness. I am the watcher on the walls. I am the shield that guards the realms of men. I pledge my life and honor to the Night's Watch, for this night and all the nights to come."

I did not catch the game, i was at work, and got off in time to see the postgame.

I am siding with Pau Gasol on this one.

Guy was the best player on the floor for stretches of the USA-Spain game.

Guy still has serious talent.

If you didnt see that game then you have no idea what happened. I have never seen a starter play so bad ever. I mean his defense was so bad he basically let everyone just score. It was as if he betted on the other team.

Everytime he was in were started geting into a bigger and bigger hole then he would go out and no matter who was in we would be coming back. We got back within 3 with about 4 and half minutes left in the half. Pau come in and I swear to got we went back down to 12. We did get it to 7 by the end of the half but only cuz kobe hit a impossible 3 and artest did a quarteback full court pass to jaminson for a 15 foot hook shot that went in. We should have been down by 12 at the half.

The same thing happened in the 2nd. We started the half with pau and he got us into an 18 point hole. We tool hi out and was getting close but 18 points was just to much to come back from in just a quarter.

This game was a pure example of how bad pau is now. Even kobe was seeming very pissed at him.

Pau is hee for nothing but a pay check now. You can tell he doesn't even care anymore. He just like bynum was acting last season but being more subtle about it

Its sad to hear... but... i believe what your saying is the truth...
Pau has just lost heart, and belief in this team...

Once he is traded, i would love to hear him talk about his time with Kobe...

Kobe is just too intense...
Pau won 2 titles, he is cool with that, he has no desire to win another NBA ring, he would love to beat Team USA for gold and win for team Spain, but, he is not the same player on the Lakers as he is on the Spanish National team.

Pau gasol may be the greatest PF in Lakers history...
But he may be done as a laker